As you know, the intestinal flora (or gut microbiota) is an ecosystem of living microorganisms – bacteria, yeasts, as well as viruses and fungi – which sits in the walls of the small intestine and colon. This is by far the most populated area of the body, playing host to between 1012 and 1014 guests on average (1)!
A healthy gut flora is considered to be one which maintains the right balance between ‘friendly’ strains beneficial to health, and potentially pathogenic strains (2). This state of symbiosis is usually characterised by:
Conversely, when ‘unfriendly’ bacteria get the upper hand over ‘friendly’ ones, the gut flora becomes unbalanced, a state referred to as dysbiosis (3). This can be triggered by an unbalanced diet, increased stress, exposure to pollutants (smoking, alcohol, drugs ...), immune deficiency or repeated use of antibiotics (4).
The clearest indications of intestinal dysbiosis are:
The good news is you can restore balance to your microbiota by repopulating the intestinal tract with beneficial strains, obtained directly from the diet or via dietary supplements.
In terms of the timescale involved, it clearly depends on individual factors : initial microbiota composition (unique to each individual), previous medical treatments, lifestyle changes implemented ... (10)
However, it’s fair to say that by modifying your diet and focusing on appropriate strains, you can expect your microbiota to be fully restored within 1-3 months on average (11-12). That doesn’t mean, however, that you can forget about looking after your microbiota on a day-to-day basis, just as you wouldn’t stop tending your garden!
If you’re looking to regenerate your microbiota, you need to ban ultra-processed foods in general – the preservatives, sweeteners and other additives they contain are likely to have a disruptive effect (13).
Be sure too, to reduce your intake of refined sugar and saturated and trans fats (deli meats, red meat, fried foods, pastries ...) (14-15).
Last but not least, cut back on your alcohol consumption: a number of studies suggest that alcohol-induced changes to the microbiota may increase intestinal hyperpermeability and promote the development of liver problems (16).
In contrast, there are two categories of food which are particularly recommended for restoring balance to the gut microbiota:
In helping to maintain a balanced gut microbiota, probiotics provide valuable support for depleted or insufficiently-diverse gut flora (19). Their real value is in delivering high concentrations of live bacteria, the strains of which are carefully selected to ensure they respond effectively to the problem targeted.
So for optimal results, it’s important not only to isolate the particular strain required, but to know how long you need to take it in order to gain maximum benefit.
Broadly speaking, the typical duration of a course of probiotic supplements is 1-3 months, repeatable if necessary – making sure you leave a gap between each period of supplementation to allow the gut to work independently (20-21). Another option is to alternate different strains to restore microbiotic biodiversity and prevent your gut flora from becoming ‘lazy’.
So you’d like to start supplementing with probiotics ? Here are some tips to help you make the right choice:
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98 Days
Supersmart sell a lot of interesting stuff. More than jut the usual vitamins though they do all those as well. Ordering pretty straightforward - you may need to try a couple of times to get the offers to apply but they do work. I queried something and had a fairly quick sensible reply. Postage takes a couple if days but you do get good progress information. Very well packed. Bought from Supersmart a few times and will do so again.
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Cela fait des années que je me fournis chez Supersmart. Ces derniers temps j'ai constaté une baisse significative de la qualité de travail et d'exécution conforme des commandes permanentes. Une erreur de paramétrage du programme robotisé de livraison m'a valu 2 réceptions d'un article non commandé en lieu et place de celui qui figure sur mon espace personnel ET sur la facture émise par Supersmart. Ensuite, la succession de tickets numérotés différents pour les demandes de rectification portant sur le même sujet s'avère être une nouvelle source d'erreur et de précisions de traitement. Cela va de mal en pis, entre délai de réponse et pertinence de celles-là ... Je suis profondément déçu et inquiet : Supersmart est basé en Espagne et son centre logistique au Luxembourg, ce qui obligerait ma PJ à saisir les 2 autorités judiciaires. SUITE À LA RÉPONSE APPORTÉE PAR ANNA : Je pense que je pourrai réintroduire la commande permanente de mes articles augmentée d'un moyen curatif pour mon épouse. La morale de cela est que rien ne vaut l'humain dans l'exécution des conditionnements pour envois... et qu'il est inapproprié de s'asseoir sur des systèmes automatisés sans contrôles.
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Transgenre (52 ans) et potentiellement intersexe au sens partiel (mosaïcisme) j'ai pris pendant 4/5 ans de la Pueraria Mirifica sans avis d'un médecin... Je suis arrivé/e à ce que je voulais ; rendre plus féminin mon aspect, arrêt des érections et des éjaculations (qui étaient déjà difficiles). Tout dépend des récepteurs hormonaux (oestrogènes) dans chaque cellules de notre corps, XX et XY et phénotypes ne veulent rien dire. J'ai une poitrine, petite, pousse système pileux ralenti. Trop tard pour ma calvitie. Reprise après une pause (20/07/2025) en me fixant 2 pills par jour pendant 6 mois.
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